II MEF News

(Left) Col. Frank N. Latt, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, (middle) Assistant Wing Commander, Maj. Gen. Edward D. Banta, Commander, Marine Corps Installations Command, Assistant Deputy Commandant, and (right) Col. Timothy P. Miller, Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort cut the ceremonious ribbon to commemorate the expansion and modernization of Townsend Bombing Range, the East Coast’s premier air-to-ground bombing range. The range has expanded from 5,183 acres to 33,834 acres which now allows pilots and air crews to train with precision guided munitions. TBR will continue to allow our pilots to train to deploy without deploying to train. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Nicholas Buss) - (Left) Col. Frank N. Latt, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, (middle) Assistant Wing Commander, Maj. Gen. Edward D. Banta, Commander, Marine Corps Installations Command, Assistant Deputy Commandant, and (right) Col. Timothy P. Miller, Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort cut the ceremonious ribbon to commemorate the expansion and modernization of Townsend Bombing Range, the East Coast’s premier air-to-ground bombing range. The range has expanded from 5,183 acres to 33,834 acres which now allows pilots and air crews to train with precision guided munitions. TBR will continue to allow our pilots to train to deploy without deploying to train. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Nicholas Buss)

Marine Sgt. Cesar Garcia performs preventative maintenance on an AV-8B Harrier II during exercise Banzai Badlands in Sioux Falls, S.D., Oct. 11, 2019. Marine Attack Squadron 231 and the 114th Fighter Wing of the South Dakota Air National Guard participated in a three-day exercise consisting of simulated air-to-air combat and air-to-ground strikes. Garcia is an avionic technician with VMA-231, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gavin Umboh) - Marine Sgt. Cesar Garcia performs preventative maintenance on an AV-8B Harrier II during exercise Banzai Badlands in Sioux Falls, S.D., Oct. 11, 2019. Marine Attack Squadron 231 and the 114th Fighter Wing of the South Dakota Air National Guard participated in a three-day exercise consisting of simulated air-to-air combat and air-to-ground strikes. Garcia is an avionic technician with VMA-231, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gavin Umboh)

Lance Cpl. Fabian Vigil (left) and Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Fox prepare an AV-8B II Harrier attack jet for take-off during a training mission with the 175th Fighter Squadron, 114th Fighter Wing at Joe Foss Field, Sioux Falls, S.D, Oct. 5, 2019. Marine Attack Squadron 231 and 175th FS, 114th FW are participating in force-on-force training consisting of simulated air-to-air combat and air-to-ground strikes to enhance interoperability and readiness. Fabian and Fox are aircraft ordnance technicians with VMA-231. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gavin Umboh) - Lance Cpl. Fabian Vigil (left) and Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Fox prepare an AV-8B II Harrier attack jet for take-off during a training mission with the 175th Fighter Squadron, 114th Fighter Wing at Joe Foss Field, Sioux Falls, S.D, Oct. 5, 2019. Marine Attack Squadron 231 and 175th FS, 114th FW are participating in force-on-force training consisting of simulated air-to-air combat and air-to-ground strikes to enhance interoperability and readiness. Fabian and Fox are aircraft ordnance technicians with VMA-231. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gavin Umboh)

Gunnery Sgt. Zachary S. Crone, right, speaks with Marine Cpl. Trevor W. Allen during Exercise Pegasus Flight at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Sept. 30, 2019. Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 28 supported Pegasus Flight by planning, commanding, directing and supervising all air operations as the tactical air command center for the exercise. Crone is a tactical air defense controller and Allen is a air support operations operator with MTACS-28, Marine Air Control Group 28, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Steven M. Walls) - Gunnery Sgt. Zachary S. Crone, right, speaks with Marine Cpl. Trevor W. Allen during Exercise Pegasus Flight at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Sept. 30, 2019. Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 28 supported Pegasus Flight by planning, commanding, directing and supervising all air operations as the tactical air command center for the exercise. Crone is a tactical air defense controller and Allen is a air support operations operator with MTACS-28, Marine Air Control Group 28, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Steven M. Walls)

U.S. Marines with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, provide security during a tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel mission as part of composite training unit exercise in the vicinity of Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 19, 2019. Bataan is underway conducting a COMPTUEX with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and 26th MEU. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gary Jayne III) - U.S. Marines with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, provide security during a tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel mission as part of composite training unit exercise in the vicinity of Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 19, 2019. Bataan is underway conducting a COMPTUEX with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and 26th MEU. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gary Jayne III)

Romanian soldiers with the 341st Infantry Battalion rehearse air-support operations with IAR 330L Pumas, along with U.S. Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa 19.1, Marine Forces Europe and Africa, during Platinum Eagle 19.1, a multilateral training exercise held at Babadag Training Area, Romania, March 19, 2019. SPMAGTF-CR-AF is deployed to conduct crisis-response and theater-security operations in Africa and promote regional stability by conducting military-to-military training exercises throughout Europe and Africa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Christin St. John) - Romanian soldiers with the 341st Infantry Battalion rehearse air-support operations with IAR 330L Pumas, along with U.S. Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa 19.1, Marine Forces Europe and Africa, during Platinum Eagle 19.1, a multilateral training exercise held at Babadag Training Area, Romania, March 19, 2019. SPMAGTF-CR-AF is deployed to conduct crisis-response and theater-security operations in Africa and promote regional stability by conducting military-to-military training exercises throughout Europe and Africa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Christin St. John)

Norwegian Army Brig. Gen. Jon Morten Mangersnes, right, the commander of the Norwegian Land Warfare Center, speaks with Maj. Duane Kortman Jr., left, and Master Gunnery Sgt. William Jansen, both with 2nd Marine Logistics Group-Forward (2nd MLG-Fwd), in Stjødal, Norway,Nov. 5, 2018. Leaders of the Norwegian military met with leaders and noncommissioned officers (NCOs) of 2nd MLG-Fwd to discuss the role of the Marine Corps NCO during Exercise Trident Juncture 18. The exercise enhances the U.S. and NATO Allies’ and partners’ abilities to work together collectively to conduct military operations under challenging conditions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Scott R. Jenkins) - Norwegian Army Brig. Gen. Jon Morten Mangersnes, right, the commander of the Norwegian Land Warfare Center, speaks with Maj. Duane Kortman Jr., left, and Master Gunnery Sgt. William Jansen, both with 2nd Marine Logistics Group-Forward (2nd MLG-Fwd), in Stjødal, Norway,Nov. 5, 2018. Leaders of the Norwegian military met with leaders and noncommissioned officers of 2nd MLG-Fwd to discuss the role of the Marine Corps NCO during Exercise Trident Juncture 18. The exercise enhances the U.S. and NATO Allies’ and partners’ abilities to work together collectively to conduct military operations under challenging conditions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Scott R. Jenkins)

U.S. Marines with II Marine Expeditionary Force, Norwegian service members and federal employees of Norway pose after off-loading military vehicles and equipment in preparation for NATO exercise Trident Juncture from ARC Resolve in Hammernesodden, Norway, Sept. 24, 2018. Marines and service members from the Norwegian Armed Services unloaded nearly 200 military vehicles and more than 70 containers with military equipment as planned in two days despite cold weather with periods of rain and sleet. Seven different organizations, which had never worked together before came together on a shortened timeline and conducted a successful operation, said Maj. Valerie Schwindt, operations officer, Arrival and Assembly Operation Group, II MEF. Trident Juncture is the largest live NATO exercise since 2002 and is scheduled to take place in October with more than 40,000 troops from 28 allied nations participating. - U.S. Marines with II Marine Expeditionary Force, Norwegian service members and federal employees of Norway pose after off-loading military vehicles and equipment in preparation for NATO exercise Trident Juncture from ARC Resolve in Hammernesodden, Norway, Sept. 24, 2018. Marines and service members from the Norwegian Armed Services unloaded nearly 200 military vehicles and more than 70 containers with military equipment as planned in two days despite cold weather with periods of rain and sleet. Seven different organizations, which had never worked together before came together on a shortened timeline and conducted a successful operation, said Maj. Valerie Schwindt, operations officer, Arrival and Assembly Operation Group, II MEF. Trident Juncture is the largest live NATO exercise since 2002 and is scheduled to take place in October with more than 40,000 troops from 28 allied nations participating.